I successfully avoided making anything for Christmas this year. I've been so tired, I'd just sew myself to things, and no one wants that.
I did make a mini-dress for my goddaughter's birthday. She admired a particular fabric on a patchwork purse my mother made for me, so I asked Mom to procure some of the fabric.
I started with Simplicity 4106. I have no idea if this is still in print or not. I decided to make view A, the long dress, but with straight sleeves to match the "kimono" theme, and a solid color facing/midriff. I found a button to use as a detail - it reminds me a lot of both a Japanese-style chrysanthemum and a tsuba.
Here is a very blurry closeup of the fabric. The red spots are actually the center of a geometric pattern of gold lines on a red background. You can actually get a better look in the first picture.
If you are familiar with my blog, you know I make no claims to be a photographer.
The pattern did not have an option for straight sleeves, so I measured the length of the sleeve flounce, and continued the sleeve out to that length, adjusting for seam allowances.
It's actually a tapered sleeve; if I had it to do again, I think I'd make it a true straight sleeve.
Or maybe not, she's pretty skinny, and it might be awkward.
Here is the completed mini dress. The pattern also calls for sash ties on the sides; my goddaughter hates having those tied, and I hate watching her run around trailing loose ends. I left them off, made a casing with bias tape on the inside back waist about 8" long, and stitched a 5" long piece of 3/8" elastic inside. We get a slightly fitted look without ties. I wish I'd taken a photo, but I suppose you can envision it well enough.
I bought a long-sleeved white t-shirt to go under it - wanted a turtleneck, but apparently those are out-of-fashion for girls these days - and here she is in the outfit complete with new Hello Kitty boots. They're raising her right. ;-)
